Brewers Hand Closing Duties to Uribe; Jansen Moves Up All-Time Saves List

In this week’s Closer Report, the Milwaukee Brewers are making a significant change in their bullpen, moving away from Trevor Megill in the ninth inning and handing the ball to Abner Uribe for save opportunities. This decision comes as some closers around the league find themselves under pressure due to recent struggles, with Jeff Hoffman notably blowing his third save in just five chances. Let’s dive into the latest developments in the world of saves and see how it affects closer rankings across Major League Baseball.

San Diego Padres pitcher Mason Miller has been impressive, striking out the side on back-to-back occasions against the Rockies last week. He secured a win on Friday and followed it up with a scoreless inning featuring one strikeout on Tuesday, marking his fifth save of the season. Despite a quieter outing without multiple strikeouts, Miller has still retired 20 of the 27 batters he has faced, showcasing a remarkable 74.1% strikeout rate. This performance puts him in elite company, as Devin Williams holds the record for the highest strikeout rate in a single season at 53% during the shortened 2020 season.

Jhoan Duran of the Philadelphia Phillies has emerged as the clear second-best closer in the league, continuing his dominance with a clean inning and one strikeout against the Diamondbacks on Saturday for his fifth save. Duran has yet to issue a walk this season, boasting an impressive 18.8% swinging-strike rate and a 62.5% ground ball rate. Both Miller and Duran are setting a high standard as we move deeper into the season, though it’s important to remember that we are just a few weeks in.

Andrés Muñoz, pitching for the Seattle Mariners, faced some challenges this week. After not walking any batters in his first four outings, he encountered difficulties with two walks in his first two appearances this week, although he did manage to secure his first save before earning a win against the Astros. However, his outing on Wednesday was forgettable; he entered with a four-run lead but allowed three runs on four hits and a walk before being relieved, ultimately taking the loss. The 27-year-old right-hander has been solid overall, but the five earned runs in a non-save situation are hard to overlook.

Meanwhile, Edwin Díaz of the Los Angeles Dodgers has faced mixed signals regarding his status after a tough outing against the Rangers, where he blew a save while struggling with decreased velocity. Averaging 95.5 mph on his fastball, Díaz reassured fans that he felt fine and is simply a slow starter. He averaged 96.3 mph in April last season and ramped up to 97 mph by May. The team opted to have him throw a bullpen session before Tuesday’s game against the Mets, leading to his absence from that save opportunity. Alex Vesia stepped in and closed it out, striking out the side. Manager Dave Roberts later confirmed that Díaz checked out fine and should be ready to go. He was warming up for the ninth inning on Wednesday, but the Dodgers extended their lead to seven runs in the eighth, eliminating the need for a save situation.

Ryan Helsley of the Baltimore Orioles is enjoying a bounce-back season, having made three scoreless appearances this week, including his fifth save against the Diamondbacks on Monday. He has allowed just two runs with an 11/4 K/BB ratio across 7 1/3 innings, showing a resurgence in his performance.

On the other hand, Cade Smith of the Cleveland Guardians has had a rocky start. After a scoreless appearance on Monday, he allowed an unearned run and suffered a blown save against the Cardinals. With a 5.00 ERA and a 3-for-5 success rate in save chances, Smith’s underlying skills suggest he may still find his footing as the season progresses. However, his lack of experience in the ninth inning is a concern for fantasy managers who drafted him as a top-five closer.

Devin Williams of the New York Mets also faced challenges, giving up four runs on a grand slam in his first appearance after a week of inactivity. Patience is key for both him and Daniel Palencia of the Chicago Cubs, who has managed just one save this season despite five scoreless innings.

Raisel Iglesias of the Atlanta Braves has silenced any preseason doubts, throwing 6 2/3 scoreless innings with a stellar 7/0 K/BB ratio. He struck out two in a scoreless inning against the Marlins for his third save of the season, demonstrating his effectiveness in the closer role.

David Bednar of the New York Yankees has seen his velocity dip, averaging 95.8 mph on his fastball, down from 97.1 mph last season. He has struggled with consistency, giving up runs in four of his seven outings, including a blown save and loss against the Rays.

Aroldis Chapman of the Boston Red Sox also experienced a drop in velocity early in the season but bounced back on Tuesday, sitting at 98.9 mph and striking out the side in a scoreless inning against the Twins.

Riley O’Brien of the St. Louis Cardinals has been a bright spot, collecting two saves and a win, and has yet to allow a run in 10 1/3 innings, boasting an impressive 11/0 K/BB ratio. His 73.9% ground ball rate indicates he can be a reliable option for saves.

In contrast, Jeff Hoffman of the Toronto Blue Jays has struggled despite his high strikeout rate, leading to three blown saves in five chances. If the team decides to shift away from him, Louis Varland may be next in line, having not allowed an earned run over 10 1/3 innings.

Kenley Jansen of the Detroit Tigers has been on fire, working four scoreless appearances this week and picking up three saves, bringing his career total to 480 and moving him ahead of Lee Smith for third on the all-time saves list. Jansen has struck out seven batters while allowing just one run over 4 2/3 innings, solidifying his position in the ninth inning.

Paul Sewald of the Arizona Diamondbacks also had a strong week, locking down three saves and maintaining a 2.45 ERA with a 10/0 K/BB ratio. His unconventional approach may raise questions, but his excellent control keeps him effective.

Emilio Pagán of the Cincinnati Reds has worked six consecutive scoreless outings since a rough appearance in early April. He secured his fifth save against the Giants on Tuesday, though he experienced tightness in his hamstring, which will be monitored in the coming days.

As for Trevor Megill, his recent struggles have resulted in the Brewers opting for Abner Uribe, who made his debut as the new closer and recorded a clean inning with one strikeout for his first save. Uribe has shown promise with a 1.67 ERA and 90 strikeouts over 75 1/3 innings last season, making him a priority addition for teams seeking saves.

Seranthony Domínguez of the Chicago White Sox has converted two save opportunities this week, albeit with some difficulty, while Pete Fairbanks of the Miami Marlins returned from paternity leave, only to struggle in his latest outing.

The landscape of closers continues to shift, and as we move further into the season, monitoring these performances will be crucial for fantasy managers and fans alike.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.